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  A 70-year-old Citrus Heights woman was hospitalized after a car accident. When her medical insurance wouldn't cover a large portion of the bill, she called Kurtis.

This is something that could happen to any of us. She's insured by Kaiser but she was taken to UC Davis Medical Center. Shortly after, she received a whopping bill.

"It's been so heavy on me, I mean no matter where I go, I just keep thinking, how do I do this? How did all this bad stuff come on me so fast?" asked Kathleen Branham, 70-year old Citrus Heights resident.

The bad stuff Kathleen is talking about happened on Father's Day.

She was driving north on Highway 160, just north of Hood in the Delta.

"It was like something hit my front tire, pushed me over," says Kathleen.

All of a sudden, Kathleen's Ford Explorer rolled over three times.
She prayed. Her bible was with her.

"I look at those and I know that I had the big boss watching over me because I shouldn't have walked out," says Kathleen, while looking at photos of her wrecked SUV.

Emergency crews arrived shortly after.

"All of a sudden, they're strapping me down on a board and I went 'where am I going?' He said 'to the hospital.' 'Okay,' and I thought I was going to Kaiser," says Kathleen.

Kathleen says she told emergency crews she was insured with Kaiser and even showed them her card. But the ambulance took her to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento instead because they had the closest trauma center.
During her 24-hour stay, Kathleen says the staff kept doing tests on her.

"They did a whole bunch. They kept going and I'm going, 'when are you folks going to be done?'" asked Kathleen.

She says her only injury was some bloodied knuckles and the only medication she took was some Tylenol. A week or two after her hospital stay, she received a bill from UC Davis for $55,942.50!

"I couldn't believe it. It floored me. It totally, I cried. I sat down and cried and I could cry again because I know what those people are doing. They just want money. They don't care, I just cried," says Kathleen.

Kathleen called her auto insurance, AAA. They paid the maximum amount she was covered -- almost $24,000. But what about the remaining $30,000 plus?

Kathleen says UC Davis couldn't help and Kaiser sent her letters, denying coverage because the services "fall under an automobile insurance policy."

"What about the people who can't afford it? What about me? Can I afford it? I don't think so," says Kathleen.

Kathleen had no one to turn to, no immediate family members.
She lives by herself in this little trailer, with no TV or phone.
One day, her friend had an idea.

"Kathleen, why don't you call channel 13? And I went: 'I don't want to be on television, I'm not a movie star or nothing'," says Kathleen.

We contacted UC Davis Medical Center. They directed us to Kaiser.

We then contacted Kaiser and nearly two months later, they tell us in an email:

"We are sorry that Ms. Branham experienced this misunderstanding regarding her U.C. Davis bill. Once Kaiser Permanente received the correct paperwork from the parties involved, we moved quickly to resolve this claim…"

Just days ago, Kathleen got this bill from UC Davis with a zero balance! Kaiser paid the remaining $30,000 plus.

"I could walk on air. That would take such a burden off my heart," says Kathleen.

So why did Kaiser deny her coverage? They tell us they wait for the car insurance to pay their part and then Kaiser will pay the rest.
They say they didn't know AAA already paid. If you can't get a medical bill paid, the Department of Managed Health Care has a program to help.